


Personal Space

by isonlyme



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: "reddie starring THE HAMMOCK" lmao sorry, Bad Flirting, Bickering, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Mess, Fix-It, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, I Don't Even Know, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Reddie Fluff, Richie Tozier Flirts, Richie Tozier is a Tease, Sleepy Cuddles, Slow Burn, The Hammock (IT), omg thats a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 00:21:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30131145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isonlyme/pseuds/isonlyme
Summary: Eddie makes some rules about sharing the hammock. Richie breaks all of them.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Reddie - Relationship
Comments: 5
Kudos: 59





	Personal Space

**Author's Note:**

> this isn't written very well and is pretty chaotic but I hope someone likes it. the hammock scene is my favorite so I wanted to make a little fix-it for this and still make it cute and funny!! kudos and comments are appreciated!!
> 
> (the story is divided into different sections which are separate days) <3
> 
> If there's a prompt/request that someone would like to see just drop it in the comments!

* * *

_It’s been five minutes since Eddie has met Richie Tozier for the first time and the boy has already managed to push every one of Eddie’s buttons._

_The Losers had just finished the final touches of their clubhouse, and Eddie was enjoying his time sitting quietly in the new hammock with a comic book—until Richie climbed in. Richie, with his long legs and a blasting handheld radio, clambered inside the small space of the hammock and made it shake._  
  


_Eddie threw the comic book down in his lap and glared at the new boy. Just look at him, Eddie thought. He’s chewing gum with his mouth open..but it makes his lips look kinda big. Wait._

_“Do you mind?”_

_Richie sprawled out across the length of the hammock, his legs stretched on either side of Eddie with his eyes closed. He opened one eye, inspecting Eddie’s irritated frown._

_The boy spoke around the gum, “Oh, no I don’t mind if you read.”_

_That’s not what I meant._

_Eddie felt his chest start to constrict on his lungs so for good measure he pulled out his aspirator and inhaled deeply._

_The boy’s dark eyes widened behind the enormous glasses. “What’s that?”_

_Eddie put his aspirator back in his pocket. “It’s my asthma medicine.”_

_“What does it do?” he asked._

_Eddie tried to sit cross-legged again but it was useless with Richie’s legs in the way. “I’ll tell you if you move your disgusting feet away from me.”_

_The other boy grinned and shouted over the blare of his radio. “Why? Got a thing about germs?”_

_“I do, actually,” Eddie said while straightening his comic book._

_“Well, that’s a shame. Cause I don’t!” He cackled and thrust out a hand, “Richie Tozier’s the name. Loud an’ proud.”_  


_Eddie flinched, his eyes fixed on Richie’s fingers in front of him. “Eddie Kaspbrak. And n-no thanks. I’m good.”_

_“Why? Are ya too cute to shake my hand?”_

_“I, um,” Eddie blushed and shifted back, but the hammock rocked dangerously as Richie pushed forward and make a slew of obnoxious, lip smacking noises._

_“Youse is so cute, I might jus’ give ya a big ol’ kiss!” Richie declared, his pink lips growing too close for Eddie’s comfort. He could smell the sweetness of bubblegum on his breath._

_“Get away from me!” He cried, trying to throw himself out of the hammock in one swift movement—but Richie leaned on one side too far and the entire hammock flipped over. The two boys collapsed on top of each other in a heap on the clubhouse floor. The comic book and radio clattered somewhere behind them, forgotten._

_Eddie stared into Richie’s eyes as he was crushed under his weight._

_“You sound like a tea kettle.” The dark haired boy giggled at Eddie’s unsteady breathing._

_“Get off! You’re gonna break my legs! T-This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t sat down in first place!” Eddie cried, knowing very well that Richie could see every ounce of color that flooded his face when his body got pressed up against his._

_Richie smiled. “It’s just a hammock, Eds.”_

_“Don’t call me that!”_

* * *

**_Rule Number One: Two Feet of Space_ **  


“What’s ‘ _personal space_ ’ Eds?” 

Eddie snorted. “Of course, you of all people wouldn’t know what that means.” 

“No really!” Richie sat up on his side of the hammock, “If it’s just two feet, I’m sure you can explain that.” 

“It means _don’t touch me_. See this?” Eddie used his hands to measure the two feet of distance between them, “ _That’s_ two feet.” 

Richie threw the paper in his face. “Are these rules really necessary? I think I’m smart enough to understand common courtesy.”

“Do you even know what _common courtesy_ means?”

“Sure I do,” Richie said slyly with a certain teasing glint in his eyes that Eddie knew well, “Here’s some common courtesy. This is _one_ foot of space.” 

Richie abruptly stuck out one of his legs and placed it on Eddie’s chest. 

“And _this_ is two feet.” Richie added and put his other foot on his shirt, even going as far as to move his leg up and touch his sock to Eddie’s red cheek. 

“Rule One!! You’re breaking personal space!” Eddie wiped his hot face and gingerly moved Richie’s legs off his clean shirt. 

Richie sighed and crossed his arms behind his head, “Nah, I like my idea of personal space much more.” 

“Sometimes I really hate you, Richie.”

“You’ll learn to love me, you tea kettle.”  


* * *

**_Rule Number Two: No Talking_ **

  
Eddie folded his legs to his chest and pulled his book closer while Richie was writing furiously in a tattered spiral notebook. The boys were supposed to be doing homework—but Richie had another idea. Eddie gripped the cover of the book tighter as Richie tore out a sheet of paper, folded it up and tossed it at him.

He sighed and raised an eyebrow at the dark haired boy. Richie gestured at the paper by Eddie’s feet, nodding his head encouragingly.

Eddie rolled his eyes and unfolded the paper. 

_I’m bored._

He snatched the pen in Richie’s fingers, their hands touching for a moment. Richie wiggled his eyebrows at the contact and Eddie jerked his hand back. 

_That’s not my problem. Is ‘no talking’ too confusing for you?_

He passed the note over. 

_This isn’t talking!_

_This is the same thing as talking._

  
_Well what do you expect me to do? Sit here?_  


_That’s the hope._

Richie was thoughtful for a moment, chewing the end of his pen, making Eddie steal a glance at his lips _._

_You’re cute when you’re mad. And when you think I can’t see you staring at me._

Eddie blushed, crumpled up the paper and got out of the hammock. 

“What?” Richie asked with a smile as Eddie climbed out the trapdoor. 

“I am _not_ cute,” he huffed.

_Then why am I blushing?_

* * *

**_Rule Number Three: 10 Minutes in the Hammock at a Time_ **

“Rich, just go back up. You’re practically falling asleep on me.” Eddie said, staring at those tired brown eyes. 

The other boy shook his head and wiped the hair from his face. “Nah, s’okay. Nothin’ like an all nighter.” 

The other Losers had caught on to the several hammock incidences and—to irritate Eddie—decided to place a bet on who could stay in the hammock longer. The winner gets five bucks. 

“That money’s mine, Eds.” Richie yawned, “Just lemme rest my eyes for a second.” 

And for a moment Eddie forgot about the bet and focused on Richie leaning into him, how his whole body curled up by his side like a cat. 

“Rule number one,” Eddie’s traitorous mouth whispered. 

_He’s testing me, he knows I’ll get up._

“You don’t really care about those, do you Eds? I don’t see you running for the hills just yet.” 

_He didn’t seem to care. Richie doesn’t care about anything, not even my own rules._

Richie yawned again and shouldered up onto the smaller boy’s chest, snoring softly. 

“He fell asleep,” Eddie murmured to himself. 

He checked his digital watch—paying attention not to accidentally hit Richie—and then looked back down at the mess of dark hair inches from his face. _Definitely_ closer than two feet. 

“Rule number three,” he whispered, realizing how late it had become. The sun no longer hung in the sky, filling the wooden spaces in the ceiling. 

_We’ve been sitting here for hours._

Richie’s glasses slipped down the bridge of his nose, and Eddie stopped to stare at his closed eyes, his long lashes, the way his lips were slightly parted as he slept. _He’s sort of..beautiful_. 

_In an ugly way,_ he corrected his internal dialogue, ignoring the fact that he was no longer cringing at Richie’s touch like he had weeks before. _He’s breaking all my rules._

Eddie brought his fingers to Richie’s hair, tentatively letting them brush along the matted black curls. _His hair is so soft. Oh God, stop it Eddie._

_“I can’t believe they’re still down there.” A voice muttered from above._

_“Is Richie asleep?” Another said._

_“I-I-Is Eh-Eh-Eddie playing w-with his h-hair?” Bill whispered in surprise._

“NO I WAS _NOT!”_ Eddie shouted up at them. They were all crouched around the trapdoor and peering through the small window above. 

Richie shifted in his sleep until his eyes opened at the noise.

“What’s all this yelling about?” He stared up at the ceiling and then back to Eddie, staying huddled against his chest, “ _Oh_. Hey Eds. Did I hear something about you _playing with my hair_?”

Eddie scowled up at the three of them. 

_“Definitely not.”_

Richie retrieved his glasses and slipped them on. “Because if you _did_ , I believe that breaks Rule Number One, right my love?” 

“Shut it, Richie. Get off my lap.” Eddie shoved him away, and his heart started to beat faster when the hammock shook. 

Richie grinned and sat up on his knees, making it rock even more. “I think I said the same thing to your mother last night.” 

“ _Would someone get them a room? Please?”_ Stan whined from above. 

_“Beep him Eddie!”_ Beverly said, it was all too entertaining. 

But before he could Richie had swung his legs too far to the left of the hammock and toppled it over. _Again_. Eddie found himself tangled up under Richie, their noses flushed and touching.

“Get off,” Eddie breathed, their eyes locked, “me.” 

Richie—for the first time ever—dropped his down voice to a whisper so the others couldn’t hear. “Ya sure Eds? Cause I think you’re staring at my lips.” 

He leaned down, putting his full weight on top of him. _Stop staring at me like that._ He wanted to scream at Richie, curse him for breaking all the rules. But all Eddie did was watch his mouth hover over his, blowing that same smell of gum in his face. He wanted to close the gap, he wanted to see if Richie’s lips tasted like bubblegum too. But then his glasses fell off his nose and landed directly in Eddie’s eyes, making him cry out.

“ _Ow_! Screw you.” Eddie threw his glasses across the floor and rubbed his eyes. Laughter boomed from outside. 

“That wasn’t my fault!” Richie rolled over so Eddie was free and found his glasses.

“You’re such a turd,” He muttered, brushing the dirt off his clothes. 

“ _Don’t try to kiss me then!”_

“I _wasn’t_ trying-“ He stopped mid sentence when he noticed how red Richie’s cheeks were, and at the knowing looks on the three of his friends faces.

“Dude, just kiss him next time.” Stan said to him and opened the trapdoor.

_“I wasn’t-”_

“Beep Beep Eddie!” Everyone, including Richie, shouted. 


End file.
